


The Letter

by TaergaLive



Series: The Nigmas [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Riddler - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 03:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12645381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaergaLive/pseuds/TaergaLive
Summary: "Your mother dead, a long-lost sister found. It’s like something out of a fairytale"Edward originally thought it more of a nightmare as he half-heartedly decided to take care of his half-sister. But family just seems to keep popping up, and the more he engages with the past, the more his story starts to play like a mystery.Could there be more than one Riddler in the family?





	The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> Another addition to The Nigmas series. Only took me, what, five months to write? XD

In all his years at Arkham, Edward had never felt insane. No matter how hard the word was thrown at him, it could never stick. His pride wouldn’t allow it. How could he be insane when his mind seemed so perfectly lucid? It didn’t make sense to him that others could see something that he could not, and so if he didn’t see it, it couldn’t be so. 

But now, scouring the internet in a darkened room, he was finally starting to doubt himself. 

A letter in the mail triggered the events. When the guards handed him the envelope, he had half a mind to just tear it up. He assumed it was from Edith, who was taking his benevolence a little too lightly. With the adoption papers signed, Edith was now under Edward’s care, but it still wasn’t set in stone. His lawyer was sure that, despite his incarceration, Edward should be able to hold onto custody. The state had no law against a prisoner having custody of a child. But his aunt Eileen was still doing everything in her power to alter that. And Edward was trying to make sure she didn’t succeed. There was no way he’d be outsmarted by his aunt. 

He bought an apartment for Edith to live in (and she insisted it be an apartment. She was, for some odd reason, against the idea of a house) and made a bank account in her name, transferring 5 grand into it and giving her a debit card to use. He had two loyal toadies, Jerome and Sydney, move her in (Edith mostly stood in a corner while they moved boxes and furniture in. Once they left, she had a ball decorating the place). Shortly after, Edward received a card in the mail. Just a simple thank you card that read “Don’t get a big head from this card. It just seemed the right thing to do.” 

And then a week later, he got another card. A Mother’s Day card with the “M” crossed out and replaced with “BR” everywhere. There was no signature, but he knew who had sent it. The following week, he received a “Happy 4th birthday” card featuring Diego from Go Diego Go. The last one he got was a baby shower card. He didn’t even bother opening it past the cover. 

The envelope the guard handed him had a different return address on it. Hoping it wasn’t just a continuation of the silly prank Edith had been pulling on him, he opened the card. It was a glossy ivory card with gold etching and a cross in the middle. Inside, in a scripted font, read: “You're close to people whose hearts are breaking, those who are discouraged and have given up hope. May You who see their troubles and grief respond when they cry out. (Psalm 34:18; 10:14a, 17).” 

Underneath the text was a handwritten message. “Sorry to hear about your mom. If you’d like to talk, don’t hesitate to call,” it said, followed by a number with a local area code and the signature “Diedre.”

Edward looked over the card a few more times before throwing it away. The only Diedre he knew was a cousin of his on his father’s side. She was close to his age, so they often played together during family events when they were children. Her family had lived on the opposite side of the city, so Edward didn’t go to school with her or get to see her very much outside of holidays. His last official contact with her was right before he dropped out of school and ran away from home. He supposed with the modern boon of technology, he could have made more of an effort to stay in contact with her, but it really just never occurred to him. 

Later, he did some research on the return address and discovered it wasn’t too far from Edith’s apartment. Resting his chin on folded hands, he hummed softly. Security in Arkham had gotten a bit tighter. Earlier in the month, Joker broke out, which always caused chaos for everyone. And then just three nights ago, Crane escaped, which Edward hadn’t minded as much since it now gave him a cell of his own. But security tightened, it wouldn’t be so easy to get out. Luckily, Edward enjoyed a challenge. Too bad Arkham never seemed to provide him with one. 

Edith was hanging upside down from the sofa on a Tuesday night when she heard keys in the tumbler. Part of her thought she should grab the baseball bat she had propped up next to the door just in case it was someone breaking in. But the blood was rushing to her head and she honestly just didn’t feel like getting up. Besides, either Sydney or Jerome usually made rounds around the neighborhood per Edward’s orders, or at least Edith assumed they did.

Edward gently closed the door behind him, cocking an eyebrow at Edith as she rolled over onto the floor. Daintily, he removed his gloves. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?” he asked as he pocketed the gloves and locked the door. 

Edith stood up. “Shouldn't you be in jail?”

He rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself. “Technically, it’s a psych ward. And I decided to take a holiday.”

Turning off the tv, Edith walked over to the fridge. “Yeah, okay, and you thought coming here, to the apartment you bought, was a good idea.”

“The apartment isn’t under my name,” he countered, his eyes tracing the countertops lined with unwashed dishes and empty take-out containers. “And would it kill you to clean up after yourself?”

Edith took a can of soda out of the fridge. “I don’t know,” she said as she snapped the can open. “It might. I never tried.”

Before she could take a sip, Edward snatched the can away. “It’s past ten. You shouldn’t be drinking caffeine this late at night.”

She groaned. “You have custody of me; you don’t get to baby me.”

“Just get ready for bed,” he sighed as he returned the can to the refrigerator. 

“It’s going to get flat!” Edith complained. 

Edward ignored her. “If you would like, I can take you to school tomorrow. I have to meet someone in the morning anyway.”

She snorted. “With who, your parole officer?”

Instead of explaining to her how he couldn’t have a parole officer if he was still an inmate, he just sighed and told her to go to bed. With an overly exaggerated groan, Edith stormed off to her room. Edward knew she wasn’t actually going to go to sleep, especially since he now offered her a chance to sleep in and still get to school on time, but her going off to her room would suffice. He needed time to think, time uninterrupted by a preteen girl’s attitude. 

Though he had taken precautions when purchasing the apartment, Edith still had a point; it was risky for Edward to stay. He just had to determine how risky, how long he could stay before someone made the connection. The apartment was actually under Sydney’s name, and they hadn't been caught by the police while working under the Riddler yet, so there was only a small chance someone could make the connection there. But Edith’s school now had this location recorded as her address. He had thought about ways to get around that, but in the end, he realized it was safer for Edith that way in case of an emergency. Edith still used their mother’s maiden name as her last name, so the connection wouldn’t be obvious, but Edward was now listed as her guardian. It wouldn’t take long for someone to make the connection, but they would need to be suspicious of Edith first. And why would anyone be suspicious of a twelve-year-old girl? 

Sinking into the sofa, Edward groaned and massaged his head. Adopting Edith was a rash decision. He was willing to see that. He viewed it as one of the few mistakes he’s ever made. It was one of the few decisions he made based on emotions rather than logic, and it proved to him that logic always trumps emotion. As much as adopting her made him feel somewhat red-lettered, it now filled him with an unease he was not used to, an anxiety he couldn’t name.

Clicking the tv on, he decided to at least see if the news had anything to say about him until he could fall asleep. 

The next day, Edward still felt off. Normally when he mingled with the people of Gotham, he felt at ease. But today was different, and he couldn’t place why. He dressed as casually as he could allow himself before entering the cafe he and Diedre agreed on, yet he couldn’t help but feel out of place. 

She was already seated at a table when he entered. Despite not seeing her in years, he recognized her immediately. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun, and she honestly looked as if she had just rolled out of bed. She smiled as he sauntered over. 

“You can’t be the same Eddie who used to let me put scrunchies in his hair on Christmas Eve.”

He chuckled as he took his seat. “If I recall correctly, you and Anna held me down and made me wear the scrunchies.” 

Diedre snorted. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Now that I think about it, we were kind of jerks to you growing up.”

Edward shrugged. “That’s neither here nor there. We were children. It was all in the name of fun.”

Stirring her coffee, Diedre smiled and sighed. Now that he was directly in front of her, Edward could see the bags under her eyes. Her makeup was flaking and peeling off. Diedre didn’t look up from her cup as she spoke. “I heard about your mom through your dad. He was visiting my parents the other day and it came up. I couldn’t believe how...plainly he spoke about it.”

She peeked up at Edward as if she was afraid of his response. His smile had faltered a bit, but otherwise, Edward kept his composure. “It doesn’t surprise me,” he replied, looking over at the counter, debating if he really wanted to buy an overpriced latte. “He acted as if she didn’t exist after she left. And I suppose he didn’t mention a word about me, did he?”

With a tight smile, Diedre shook her head. 

Edward sighed. “In all honesty, I really would prefer to talk about something else. Anything else really. Politics even.”

“Ooh, let’s not go there,” Diedre laughed. “I don’t know if this cafe can handle what I have to say about that.”

With a nod, Edward rested his chin on folded hands. “How about yourself then?”

“Me?” Diedre faltered. “Geez, I don’t know. I’m kind of boring.”

“Humor me,” Edward chuckled. 

Diedre leaned back in her chair. “Well, quit college after two years. Couldn’t afford the tuition anymore. Got a job down at Pandora’s Box. Work most nights except Thursdays and Sundays. Live in a little apartment down on South Street. Like I said, kind of boring.”

Edward cocked an eye. “Pandora’s Box? Isn’t that the…?”

“Yes, Edward,” Diedre smirked. “It is. I’ve seen you there, you know. Don’t worry, I’ve never served you.”

Despite his best efforts, Edward’s face reddened. Diedre laughed, leaning back in her chair. “Man, I forgot how easily you turn red. Your face almost matches your hair!” 

Running a hand through his hair, Edward cleared his throat. “So, South Street, huh? I heard it’s a bit of a rough neighborhood.”

Diedre could tell he was trying to bury his embarrassment, so she complied and nodded along with his conversation. “It is, but don’t worry about me. I can handle myself. You’re not the only one in the family who is full of surprises, you know. Though I’ve always wondered how much of the stuff in the media is just fluff and how much of it is true about you. Some say you’re a criminal mastermind and others say you’re nothing more than a toddler throwing a tantrum.”

Subconsciously, Edward twitched, but he smiled. “I suppose the ignorant masses wouldn’t quite understand the magnitude of what I do. It’s only to be expected. I don’t particularly care what the layman thinks of me.”

Diedre titled her head. “Then why the theatrics? Why the big razzle-dazzle?”

He sighed. “Why do anything if no one is going to see it?”

A confused smile played on Diedre’s lips, but she said nothing. It didn’t make too much sense to her why Edward does what he does, but Edward didn’t expect any more from her. She was just like the rest of Gotham, though she was at least smart enough to realize she was not going to understand. 

Glancing at her phone, Diedre took one last sip of her coffee and stood up. “Sorry to cut this meeting short, but I got to get going. It was nice talking to you, Eddie.” 

Edward stood up as well. “Same to you, Diedre.”

She started to walk toward the door before turning around. “Oh yeah, I promised a friend of mine I’d do this,” she handed Edward a card. “If you ever have any work needed to get done, give me a call. A friend of mine and I are looking to...branch out and seek new opportunities.” 

With that, she made her exit. 

Edward took a look at the card. It just had a phone number on it, a different one from Diedre’s cell phone. He smirked. Perhaps Diedre wasn’t as dumb as the regulars of Gotham City. 

He spent the rest of the day bouncing around Gotham, trying not to stay in any one place for too long. He was a free man now, and he might as well use that freedom while it lasts. He could start thinking up a new scheme to finally beat the Bat once and for all. Or he could pull a few smaller heists, ones that won’t attract too much attention, to get more supplies and money he can pay his henchmen with. 

As the afternoon waned, Edward decided to return to the apartment.Upon opening the door to the apartment, Edward noticed right away something was amiss. Perhaps it was the trash that cascaded over the trashcan, a testament to Edith’s laziness. No, that was ever present. Perhaps it was the sound of Edith’s string of curses as she laid on the floor in front of the tv, game controller in her hand. Couldn’t be. Edward had long since gotten used to her profanity. 

Most likely, it was the fact that Jonathan Crane was lounging on the sofa. 

“What on earth is going on here?” Edward demanded, glancing around as he shut the door. If Crane was here, who else could be lurking around the corner? 

Jonathan gestured towards Edith with his head. “She let me in.”

“Edith!” Edward hissed. 

The girl didn’t even turn away from her game as zombies surrounded her character. “He had pizza.”

Indeed, Edward looked at the half-empty pizza box that lay upon the coffee table. He sighed. “You let a stranger in because he offered you pizza? Really?”

Edith shifted so she was now sitting on her knees, mashing buttons frantically. “He said he knew you.”

“Edith, that’s…” Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s the most...irresponsible...you cannot just let a stranger in just because he offers you food and tells you he knows me.”

She shrugged as her character laid upon the ground, helplessly swarmed by the zombies. “That’s how it worked when I lived with mom.”

Something told him he should really follow up on that statement, but Edward didn’t have the energy to deal with it. He was tired from escaping Arkham. He was tired from meeting with his cousin. He was tired from thinking about his mother. He didn’t have enough energy to deal with Edith. Not tonight. 

Instead, he sank into the sofa. “Why are you even here? How did you know I lived here?”

Jonathan crossed his leg over his knee and leaned back into the sofa. He was clearly enjoying this. “I didn’t. Not at first anyway. I was walking down a street when I happened across your sister. She was in some sort of argument with some classmates. And I swear, she’s the spitting image of you. Not so much in looks but in the way she presents herself.”

Edith whipped her head around, her character now dead and forgotten. “I am NOT like him!” she scowled. 

Edward was about to say the same thing but stopped himself just in time. How ironic he thought. He kept his composure.

Jonathan smiled gently at Edith. “Of course. But either way, I had a strong feeling that she would lead me to you.” 

Now Edward completely lost his composure. “You stalked her?”

“‘Stalk’ is such a harsh word.”

“It’s the correct word,” Edward hissed. “And what if you were wrong? What would you have done if you had followed this girl only to find she had nothing to do with me?”

Sighing, Jonathan rolled his eyes. “I would have left, obviously. I’ve told you before, I have no interest in children. Their fears bore me.”

With her mouth full of pizza, Edith leaned closer to their conversation. “When I was younger, I was afraid if I didn’t leave the bathroom before the toilet was done flushing, a wolverine was going to pop out and eat me.”

“Stay out of this,” Edward scolded Edith. The latter pouted and turned her attention back to her game. Edward didn’t look away from Jonathan. There was something unnerving about the entire situation. He didn’t want anyone aware of Edith. For some reason, taking care of Edith gave Edward some peace he couldn’t quite explain. But with that peace came utter paranoia. Edith was also a liability. If anyone knew -Akrham, the other Rogues, even Batman- they could use it against him. They could hold her hostage. They could kill her. And as much as he hated to admit to even himself, he had grown fond of the little vermin, despite her many flaws. 

Jonathan turned his attention back to Edith’s television screen. A teammate had found her character in a closet, so Edith was back in the game. Edward scowled. He didn’t like how nonchalant Jonathan was acting. He also couldn’t gauge what his cell mate’s motives were. Edward’s relationship with Jonathan was a strange one. Jonathan was one of the few inmates who didn’t yell at Edward for his constant talking and/or riddles, and he was one of the few Edward felt he could have an intelligent conversation with. Indeed, the two have swapped stories in the past about the past, telling a detail here and there about their childhoods. Nothing too personal, though. One could never be too careful in Arkham. Someone you thought was your friend could turn on you any moment. Edward suspected that moment was now. 

Giving a little whoop of victory upon completing the level, Edith lay on the floor, waiting for the next level to load. She looked up at Edward. “How did you little ‘meeting’ go?”

Edward ignored the question. “Just...go to your room. I have to speak with our ‘guest’ here.”

Edith scowled. “I was here first!”

“I pay for the apartment,” Edward countered. 

“I spend more time here than you. Isn’t possession nine-tenths of the law?”

“That’s not how that law works. Please just go.” 

“No,” Edith asserted, crossing her arms and ankles. “You want me to go, you’ll have to drag me there.” 

The look in Edward’s eyes was dangerous. His one step towards Edith was enough for her to flinch and for her haughty expression to falter. Her level was fully loaded, and her other teammates were now shooting at her for her idleness, but it was forgotten. Her eyes lingered on Edward like a deer’s on a car. 

A strange pain rushed through Edward’s head, stemming from his temples and sliding over across his ears. He realized just how tightly he held his jaw, just how rigid he had been standing, how straight his back was. For a second, he was baffled by Edith’s stance. Why was she looking at him like that? What was going through her mind?

The pain again swirled in his head. This time, it whispered, “Please don’t, please don’t, please, please, please.”

He slackened his shoulders, unclenched his jaw, and took a step back. He couldn’t believe it, so he didn’t believe it. He wouldn’t believe what flashed before his eyes just now. He wouldn’t believe he saw relief flood over Edith’s face. He wouldn’t believe he saw himself lying on that floor. He couldn’t, so he wouldn’t. 

Edith slowly got up from the floor, turning off her game. Without a word, she scuffled away to her room. When the door clicked shut, Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair. He took a seat in the armchair next to Crane. As he opened his mouth to speak, he heard Edith’s door open. She scuffled back in the room, eyes on Edward like a wary dog. Without taking her eyes off of him, she took up the pizza box and scurried off to her room again. Despite himself, Edward smiled. 

Jonathan cocked a brow at Edward. “So, you’ve been awfully busy, haven’t you? Your mother dead, a long-lost sister found. It’s like something out of a fairytale.” 

Frowning, Edward eyed Jonathan carefully. He always found Jonathan’s voice unnerving. The man spoke softly, his voice melodic like a lullaby, like he was trying to hypnotize you. Edward couldn’t help but wonder if it was intentional or not. 

“What do you want, Jon?”

Jonathan smiled. “Why do I have to want something, Nigma? Can’t I just make a courtesy call? I heard the news of your escape and thought I’d stop by. Now we just need the Joker and we could have an Arkham Escapee celebration.”

Edward scowled. “You know I’d never work with that lunatic.”

The smile grew. “But would you work with me?” 

Once again, the door to Edith’s room opened. The two gentlemen looked towards it as the young girl popped out. She said nothing, looking at them with a blank face as she pointed at and made her way towards the bathroom door. Once she was inside, Edward turned his attention back to Crane. 

“What are you getting at?” he murmured. 

Leaning closer, Jonathan practically was hanging over the arm of the sofa, smiling like the cat that got the milk. “I’ve been plotting a little mischief and I could use some assistance in seeing it through. Though if you’re not interested, I’ll just have to do everything on my own. I just thought, since you were out, I could make the offer.”

Edward couldn’t help but be interested. Crane seeking his help? This could not be happening. Still, Edward crossed his legs and fold his hands in his lap. “I suppose it would depend on the job. I’m not some average thug, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Jonathan chuckled as he leaned back into the sofa. “And just like you, I won’t work with anyone. But I’ll cut to the chase. Have you ever heard of the Epsilon Brotherhood?”

Hating to admit he had no knowledge of the group, Edward shrugged. “I don’t believe the name has ever made itself known to me, no.” 

Jonathan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and brought one to his lips, not even bothering to ask Edward for permission to smoke. “I’m not all that familiar with them either. They’re an organization not unlike the Freemasons. Just some sort of old fraternity people like to be a part of. But I have resources that tell me they can be very influential when they want to be.”

With a click, Jonathan brought a lit lighter to the cigarette. Edward was always told he was dramatic, but he knew Jonathan liked to create a mood when he spoke. He wondered if the smoking was because of a need for nicotine or for a need for a dramatic pause. 

Lackadaisical, Jonathan blew smoke toward the ceiling. “I want some of that influence, Edward. And I’d like your assistance.”

Edward studied him. Crane was being vague, and no doubt on purpose. He was trying to lure Edward in, and Edward had to decide whether or not to take the obvious bait. 

While the two of them were cordial, they had never pulled a job together before. Lack of similar desires kept their work separate. Jonathan was more about causing mischief and chaos while Edward leaned more towards heists and, of course, obstacles for the Bat. He had to admit he was curious to see what to professor was up to. 

Before he could say anything, however, poked her head through the bathroom door. Edward hadn’t heard the toilet flush nor the sink turn on, which led him to notice that the bathroom was ever so slightly closer to the living room than Edith’s bedroom was. He frowned at her, wondering just how much she had heard.

“If you’re going to eavesdrop, at least make an attempt to be subtle about it,” Edward scolded. 

Edith took this as a sign to join them in the living room (which it was not) and look at Jonathan. “What’s epsilon mean?”

“It’s a greek letter, dear. Like the letter ‘e.’”

Edith frowned. “Oh, that’s all? Weird,” She turned to Edward. “Mom used that for, like, all of her passwords. Netflix, Pornhub, you name it.”

“Edith!” Edward hissed. He did not want to think about his mother’s personal habits, and he certainly did not want to hear his little sister speak so lightly about them. It reminded him of when he had to clean out his mother and Edith’s apartment after the funeral, practically tearing the place apart in search of a letter his mother supposedly left for him if her will was to be believed. The place was littered with personal effects that Edward had wanted to forget about, and the fact that Edith not only knew about them but seemed comfortable talking about them made him uneasy. He had been meaning to ask what living with their mother was like. The fact that she had no problem letting in a complete stranger like Crane in just because he said he knew Edward made him wonder just what went on in the Leland household. 

And just like that, his blood turned to ice.

Edward felt time stop but his mind racing. He had flashbacks of the funeral, of the reading of the will. The attorney told him his mother left him a letter, but no letter could be found. Even Edith didn’t know about it. But maybe she did. Maybe she did but didn’t know. 

Everyone, including himself, had just assumed Ellie meant to give her son a physical letter. Because honestly, what else could a mother give? But what if she meant something different? Something she had already given him, and his sister to boot? A letter. A letter like the letter E. E like Edward. E like Edith. E like Ellie and even his aunt, Eileen. 

E like Epsilon. 

Jonathan watched Edward carefully. The room was tense as Edward slowly returned to the present. Even Edith seemed concerned. But Edward ignored both of them. Instead, he took off for Edith’s room, the girl yelling out after him. He commandeered her laptop, switching it on and heading straight for the internet. He had research to do. Edith just sighed and rolled her eyes, realizing there was nothing she could do to stop Edward from using her computer. Jonathan, however, didn’t stay quiet.

“Am I to take your sudden burst of energy as a ‘yes’?” 

Was he? As Edward waited for the painfully slow internet to load, he considered Jonathan’s proposal. He had no idea what Crane wanted with this Epsilon Brotherhood, and honestly, Edward didn’t know what he wanted either. But he had a strong feeling he was on to something. Yes, perhaps Edward wasn’t the other underhanded genius in the family. After all, he had to get it from somewhere, and it didn’t seem to be from his father. Or maybe this was just a wild goose chase. Either way, Edward was now fixed on the idea, and once Edward sunk his teeth into something, he had a hard time letting go.

“Take it as a ‘maybe,’” Edward said as his fingers danced along the keyboard. “I want more information about your little scheme, but I’ve suddenly developed a common interest in this Epsilon group.”

Yes, it could just be a wild goose chase, but Edward had a strong feeling he received more than just his good looks from his mother.


End file.
